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[Famassu]

What do you fellow vegetarians (and vegans) whip together when you want a quick meal?
For me, it's stir fry noodles (ex: quickly wok your vegetable, throw in noodles boiled for 2-3 minutes and add soy sauce) and simple pasta dishes (ex: boil pasta, fry veggies and add crushed tomatoes - add in the boiled pasta and serve)

Spice up some soy protein after all the water has absorbed into it, throw in some vegetables and make some noodles/rice/mashed potatoes while the vegetables are cooking.




I've been a vegetarian for 10 months now. It all started in January when there was a Facebook even that encouraged people to try a vegetarian (or vegan) diet for a month. I gave it a try, it was easy enough and since I've never been THE biggest fan of meat (I've never understood the mindless meat-fest that is Christmas, never liked bacon, I prefer poultry to most red meat etc.), not eating meat came quite easily for me.

In the end, I'm an ovo-lacto-pesco-vegetarian, and I won't say no to any game my friends might've hunted (so... I eat some moose meat maybe once or twice a year). I do use eggs (mostly when I'm baking, so maybe 3-4 times a year), dairy products (I couldn't live without milk) and try to eat seafood once or twice a week since it's so healthy.

 

[Shanadeus]

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[Dunk#7]

I've seen that picture a couple of times but I'm not sure how valid it is.
Assuming it is true, it doesn't really say how common animal-derived products are.

Does for an example all/most pasta contain cow blood?

I have to agree with you. It does not really get into how common those uses are, but I think it is only the tip of the iceberg. With all of the other animals of the world how often to you think animal products are used by us on a daily basis without us realizing it.

I would be willing to bet that a large percentage of people don't even know gelatin (JELL-O) is made from horse bones.



It is just a sensitive subject for me because a friend of mine is trying to raise their daughter vegan and I just feel it is terrible to deprive a child of necessary nutrients like B12. Even if you can supplement some of them via pills that cannot be as good for your body. Science is still expanding and gaining knowledge every day so who is to say there aren't nutrients and vitamins in meat that we do not even know about yet? Creating a diet where pills are necessary can never be a good thing in my opinion.

 

[JoshDigi]

So... Tofu.

It's quite tricky to cook with, I tried marinating some the other day and it was still pretty bland.
Guess the trick is what marinade you use and how long you keep them in the juice.

I love tofu. maybe the most versatile food in the world. Try baking it to give it a meatier texture. Make sure to press the water out first. I like to shallow fry it in olive oil and soy sauce. Or buy silken tofu(soft kind) and puree it to create a sauce. Balsamic with citrus zest makes a good sauce.

Or buy tempeh instead of tofu. Has more taste and texture, but not as versatile.

 

[Famassu]

I'd venture a guess that yes, animal-based stuff is used in a lot more stuff than what most people realize. There was a program in tv a while ago where some product that you'd think is purely from the plant-kingdom had a couple of different animal-based incredients.

 

[freenudemacusers]

I have a question for all of the vegans that avoid meat because of the animal cruelty factor.

Do you avoid all of these products?

Serious question because I do not think many people realize how much stuff is made from animals.

A lot of people do not realize vulcanization uses animal fats, nor that 90% of cheeses in the market use animal rennet. This is kind of pointlessly reductive though, since just about everything we consume or use causes harm to another being. To me, veganism/vegetarianism is (or should be) about minimizing impact or harm as best as possible.

Part of me wants to pursue vegetarianism, but I have to reconcile this with the fact I wear leather, which will not stop happening as no good alternatives exist.

 

[TheSeks]

It's "regular" tofu.

Then you probably need to strain it before throwing it in sauces to marinate.

 

[triplestation]

The idea of pasta blood is fucked up.

 

[TheSeks]

The idea of pasta blood is fucked up.

How? IIRC Filipino food uses pigs blood for a dish.

 

[freenudemacusers]

The idea of pasta blood is fucked up.

never look up the spanish recipe for squid ink pasta

 

[triplestation]

How? IIRC Filipino food uses pigs blood for a dish.

I meant to me personally. I am grossed out by organs and innards. I like my pasta whole grain and al dente.

 

[Shanadeus]

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[TheSeks]

I meant to me personally. I am grossed out by organs and innards. I like my pasta whole grain and al dente.

*shrug* To be honest, I'm an omnivore, so I don't really flinch about stuff like that. I do think there should be some changes to slaughterhouses, but animals are food. If some of them had the chance, they'd probably kill us and have us for food as well.

*ahem* Not that I don't support vegans and vegetarians. Just not my belief. I'll happily eat vegetarian (and mumble grumble while eating bland Vegan) but not everyday, you know?

never look up the spanish recipe for squid ink pasta

Squid Ink is edible?

 

[cyberheater]

I've been a vegetarian for over 33 years and never had a serious illness. Maybe the odd cold or flu but nothing serious.

My diet is particularly varied either and I hardly ever have fresh greens or salads.

I'm slim and healthy with normal blood pressure. I'm 46. I wish I had been vegetarian since birth. Both my children have been. They are 5 and 7 and perfectly healthy.

Vegetarianism is a good lifestyle choice. Good thread.

 

[number47]

I cannot recommend Morning Star products enough. Their bean burgers and ribs are amazing. I go through several Morning Star chicken nuggets a month.

Morning star ribs taste better than mcds ribwich.

 

[reggieandTFE]

I have to agree with you. It does not really get into how common those uses are, but I think it is only the tip of the iceberg. With all of the other animals of the world how often to you think animal products are used by us on a daily basis without us realizing it.

I would be willing to bet that a large percentage of people don't even know gelatin (JELL-O) is made from horse bones.



It is just a sensitive subject for me because a friend of mine is trying to raise their daughter vegan and I just feel it is terrible to deprive a child of necessary nutrients like B12. Even if you can supplement some of them via pills that cannot be as good for your body. Science is still expanding and gaining knowledge every day so who is to say there aren't nutrients and vitamins in meat that we do not even know about yet? Creating a diet where pills are necessary can never be a good thing in my opinion.

Go worry more about your other friends feeding their kids a diet of processed sugars, junk food and fruit "juices"; I'd wager that most kids raised vegetarian eat a much healthier, more varied diet.

 

[Stumpokapow]

I wish I had been vegetarian since birth. Both my children have been.

That's kind of interesting, actually. Where do you live / did you grow up? Obviously the, uh, ease of being a vegetarian varies by geographic area--someone in the frozen north has less access to fresh foods, someone who lives in an urban area with active farmers markets can do better, it's easier to be pescatarian if you can catch fish or if you live in an area with fresh and cheap fish, etc.

I mean, it's easier everywhere now than it was then due to information and increasingly global supplies of food, but your record is very impressive.

Science is still expanding and gaining knowledge every day so who is to say there aren't nutrients and vitamins in meat that we do not even know about yet? Creating a diet where pills are necessary can never be a good thing in my opinion.

I'm not a vegetarian. I had a sausage, egg, and cheese bagel for breakfast. But this is laughable to me.

Who's to say there aren't nutrients and vitamins in cardboard that we do not even know about yet, but you don't eat cardboard. Nutritional science has a relatively good understanding of the basic inputs the human body needs. Meat provides a number of key nutrients, but it's possible to get them without it. Dairy is high in calcium, but so are leafy greens, and you can also get calcium externally. We have a good idea of the basic minerals, vitamins, nutrients, and amino acids involved in the human body. While there's more research to be done, there's not going to be a discovery that meat has Vitamin Z, the Vitamin that cures heart disease and superaids and stops bird flu.

What about the intake of nutrients in "pill" form bothers you? I'm not sure why a vitamin C "pill" (tablet, vitamin) is any different than processed juice where the factory added powdered vitamin C.

Almost every food you eat is vitamin-enriched. Beriberi, a B1 deficiency disease, was very common before developed countries began vitamin enrichment. There's folic acid in your bread and most of the bread in the world to help prevent neutral tube defects in babies. Cod liver oil used to be commonly administered to kids to help with vitamin D deficiencies, but it's less so now because foods are vitamin enriched.

So what does it matter if rather than being added in powdered form by a food processor, you take it in a capsule, vitamin, chewable, or dissolved form added by yourself?

 

[hyp]

been dipping into vegetarianism the past 3 months myself. still eat a tiny bit of meat, but not much. i'm finding it fairly easy and i'm slimmer and feel much better.

i take supplemental organic vegetable vitamins as well. shits are expensive but i think it fills the void when i don't have a lot of food around.

anyone have a great website for simple yet tasty vegetarian recipes?

 

[Shanadeus]

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[Damon Bennet]

I am glad that this thread exists. Today I am going to make awesome vegetarian Burger mostly made of spelt. maybe I'll take some pictures

 

[Shanadeus]

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[Shanadeus]

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[Square Triangle]

I tired of it all guys. I keep running into the videos online of the farms and slaughter houses. I'm disgusted each and every time I see a different one- although all showing the same horrible images. I usually go on a kick of avoiding meat but fall back into it shortly there after. Tonight though, I've told myself I'm done with it. I cannot any longer purchase meat knowingly supporting these practices used at the animal processing centers.

Tomorrow I'm going to venture out to the grocery store, do chains like Kroger, Meijer and Walmart offer great alternatives or do I need to go to specialty stores? My worry is the cost. I've also tried tofu and could not stomach it, I've got a lot of research ahead of me.

 

[kiunchbb]

I tired of it all guys. I keep running into the videos online of the farms and slaughter houses. I'm disgusted each and every time I see a different one- although all showing the same horrible images. I usually go on a kick of avoiding meat but fall back into it shortly there after. Tonight though, I've told myself I'm done with it. I cannot any longer purchase meat knowingly supporting these practices used at the animal processing centers.

Tomorrow I'm going to venture out to the grocery store, do chains like Kroger, Meijer and Walmart offer great alternatives or do I need to go to specialty stores? My worry is the cost. I've also tried tofu and could not stomach it, I've got a lot of research ahead of me.

If you live around Los Angeles, I can give you address to a few vegetarian store.

It is hard to track down vegetarian section, but just try going to different type of market, places like Ralphs and Farmers John have little vegetarian in the fridge section. Just ask for MorningStar, everything else vegetarian should be in the same pile.

Almost all large Chinese super market have a pretty reasonable vegetarian section, they are also cheaper and in larger quantity. I believe that you will find even more if you have Indian market near you.

 

[Sutton Dagger]

Now I wanted to ask a question regarding the morality of eating other animals, I'm very interested in the answers as a matter of personal reflection regarding my own moral framework.

So let me start by saying that I eat meat, though it comes with some caveats. I mostly eat free range animals from local farmers, and have reasoned that their life is of a far greater standard than the battery farms etc. So where is the distinction between eating animal cells or plant cells if 'pain' (it seems this is the criteria by which most Vegans dispute eating animals is moral), is essentially a non-issue? We are still consuming living cells irrespective of the source, how do you make a logical distinction?

Looking forward to the responses.

 

[IceCold]

I tired of it all guys. I keep running into the videos online of the farms and slaughter houses. I'm disgusted each and every time I see a different one- although all showing the same horrible images. I usually go on a kick of avoiding meat but fall back into it shortly there after. Tonight though, I've told myself I'm done with it. I cannot any longer purchase meat knowingly supporting these practices used at the animal processing centers.

Tomorrow I'm going to venture out to the grocery store, do chains like Kroger, Meijer and Walmart offer great alternatives or do I need to go to specialty stores? My worry is the cost. I've also tried tofu and could not stomach it, I've got a lot of research ahead of me.

Show you are going to change your entire lifestyle because of a couple of shock videos on the web? Ok... You're better off buying your meat from local farmers.

 

[Sutton Dagger]

Show you are going to change your entire lifestyle because of a couple of shock videos on the web? Ok... You're better off buying your meat from local farmers.

What are you talking about?

 

[DJ_Lae]

I was actually thinking about this today - and realized that I'm much closer to being a vegetarian than the other way around. A lot of it has been gradual, as I like trying different things and a few years back decided I'd try the odd vegetarian/vegan meal. My girlfriend doesn't like the taste of red meat, so we've been using mock ground meat as it's an acceptable substitute for things like pasta sauce or lasagna, chili or other casseroles. And more recently I've gotten more into tofu and how to actually make it edible.

I still eat meat, of course, and I don't see myself ever stopping that (I love steaks too damn much) but I confess I find it both easier and cheaper to cook vegetarian. I do cheat a little, of course - I use jarred chicken broth concentrate rather than vegetable when I make soups and if I am making borscht or french onion soup I will go beef broth, but those are pretty minor.

A friend got me baking my tofu about a year ago, with a light spritz of oil and salt sprinkled on it. The end product is a lot like deep fried tofu - chewy to crunchy on the outside, depending on cook time, and soft and creamy on the inside. I then throw it into curries or stir fries or whatever, and it's great. It solves my main problem with tofu, which was the texture, not the taste.

And I've also developed an enormous fondness for quinoa, lentils, and beans - all of which are dirt cheap when purchased dry (okay, things like quinoa flour aren't so much). I will use bacon for a lot of my bean casseroles (baked beans just aren't the same without it) but if I look at my previous week's worth of food, there is surprisingly little meat in it. Heck, I haven't actually had meat in three days. Years ago I would have laughed if someone told me that would be the case.

 

[kame-sennin]

Now I wanted to ask a question regarding the morality of eating other animals, I'm very interested in the answers as a matter of personal reflection regarding my own moral framework.

So let me start by saying that I eat meat, though it comes with some caveats. I mostly eat free range animals from local farmers, and have reasoned that their life is of a far greater standard than the battery farms etc. So where is the distinction between eating animal cells or plant cells if 'pain' (it seems this is the criteria by which most Vegans dispute eating animals is moral), is essentially a non-issue? We are still consuming living cells irrespective of the source, how do you make a logical distinction?

Looking forward to the responses.

I might be misinterpreting your post, but I'm not sure how pain is a non-issue in this scenario. If the animals are being slaughtered, they're going to endure significant pain, even if their lives are less stressful than those of factory farmed animals.

As a vegan, my position on eating animals versus eating plants is that I don't want to kill any life form that has a central nervous system unless it's paramount to my survival. Plants can't feel pain, they can't appreciate being alive, and I need to eat them to survive. That's not the case with cows, chickens, or pigs, so I don't eat them.

 

[The Lamp]

People of the veggies, I need help.

I hate vegetables. So much.

I've slowly started to eat a few of them in my diet in the past couple of years...such as small pieces of peppers/cooked onions in seasoned foods/meats/rice.

But I just detest the taste of vegetables...BUT I WANT TO CHANGE :c

What veggies go best with what foods? Does cooking your veggies really get rid of most of the nutrients? Are there any veggies that taste good raw (I've only tried carrots and I have to hide them in a smoothie because they combine the worst food qualities to me....crunchiness and tastelessness)?

 

[darkside31337]

I tired of it all guys. I keep running into the videos online of the farms and slaughter houses. I'm disgusted each and every time I see a different one- although all showing the same horrible images. I usually go on a kick of avoiding meat but fall back into it shortly there after. Tonight though, I've told myself I'm done with it. I cannot any longer purchase meat knowingly supporting these practices used at the animal processing centers.

Tomorrow I'm going to venture out to the grocery store, do chains like Kroger, Meijer and Walmart offer great alternatives or do I need to go to specialty stores? My worry is the cost. I've also tried tofu and could not stomach it, I've got a lot of research ahead of me.

Hey good luck there buddy.

Walmart, Target and the other big retail places do have some vegetarian options but obviously it's not going to be as thorough as specialty locations. I live near a Whole Foods and a local vegan market though so I'm pretty lucky. I'm sure if you do some research you might be surprised at what's available if you live in a relatively big city. It's definitely more pricey than eating junk meat at McDonalds and what not, but it's really not that much worse than a regular diet.

The closest thing to meat from a vegetarian perspective is Tempeh. Try some of it out, it really is a great substitute for a lot of traditionally meat based dishes.

 

[Leucrota]

I was a vegan for 3.5 years. Have it up about halfway through sophomore year of college. I ended up giving the omnivore theory another run because I did not think that the philosophies behind vegetarianism/veganism were strong. The arguments were weak and many times juvenile.

Anyway, I think eating a lot of vegetable based foods is good, especially the non-processed foods (man, a lot of veggie food is as processed as any of the omnivorous stuff!). But I don't think eating meat in small quantities is either unhealthy or morally wrong. So I guess some of that veganism has stuck with me and shapes my current eating habits, for the better hopefully.

 

[iirate]

People of the veggies, I need help.

I hate vegetables. So much.

I've slowly started to eat a few of them in my diet in the past couple of years...such as small pieces of peppers/cooked onions in seasoned foods/meats/rice.

But I just detest the taste of vegetables...BUT I WANT TO CHANGE :c

What veggies go best with what foods? Does cooking your veggies really get rid of most of the nutrients? Are there any veggies that taste good raw (I've only tried carrots and I have to hide them in a smoothie because they combine the worst food qualities to me....crunchiness and tastelessness)?

Not sure if I can help you, but since I used to be the same way, I thought I'd chime in. Honestly, jumping into veganism 3.5 years ago is what did it for me. At the time, broccoli was just about the only veggie I could stomach, and thus, the majority of my diet was over-processed vegan meals, and other junk food such as PB&J sandwiches, the one vegan flavor of ramen I could find and other such foods. That stuff really wears on a person after a while, and I began to naturally take the opportunity to try a bunch of stuff I never had an appetite for.

Sure enough, it was actually really delicious. In this way, I actually came to eat a MUCH broader variety of foods as a vegan than I ever did as an omni. It is also important to note that I didn't force myself to try and like anything; I don't know if that would be something that I could recommend to anyone.

 

[kame-sennin]

People of the veggies, I need help.

I hate vegetables. So much.

I've slowly started to eat a few of them in my diet in the past couple of years...such as small pieces of peppers/cooked onions in seasoned foods/meats/rice.

But I just detest the taste of vegetables...BUT I WANT TO CHANGE :c

What veggies go best with what foods? Does cooking your veggies really get rid of most of the nutrients? Are there any veggies that taste good raw (I've only tried carrots and I have to hide them in a smoothie because they combine the worst food qualities to me....crunchiness and tastelessness)?

I'm pretty much exactly like the poster above, I didn't really start to eat vegetables until I became vegan, and now my diet is actually broader than it was when I was eating meat. My three recommendations for someone who hates vegetables would be:

- Sauteed broccoli in olive oil and garlic poured over your favorite pasta (I use ziti),

- Broccoli, white rice, tofu (or meat if you eat it) covered in teriyaki sauce. This is really good if you hate the taste of vegetables because the teriyaki sauce is so sweet it masks everything.

- Broccoli in macaroni and cheese.

 

[perryfarrell]

relevant reading: Consider the Oyster
Why even strict vegans should feel comfortable eating oysters by the boatload.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2010/04/consider_the_oyster.html

 

[Shanadeus]

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[iirate]

relevant reading: Consider the Oyster
Why even strict vegans should feel comfortable eating oysters by the boatload.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2010/04/consider_the_oyster.html

I read an article relating to this a bit over a year ago, and whereas I have no interest in consuming oysters, I wouldn't consider a vegan that does any less of one.

 

[PARANO1A]

People of the veggies, I need help.

I hate vegetables. So much.

I've slowly started to eat a few of them in my diet in the past couple of years...such as small pieces of peppers/cooked onions in seasoned foods/meats/rice.

But I just detest the taste of vegetables...BUT I WANT TO CHANGE :c

What veggies go best with what foods? Does cooking your veggies really get rid of most of the nutrients? Are there any veggies that taste good raw (I've only tried carrots and I have to hide them in a smoothie because they combine the worst food qualities to me....crunchiness and tastelessness)?

I was in similar situation before I became a vegetarian. I think one of the main causes of vegetable hate is due to how they are prepared. So often they sit on the side of plate, over cooked and bland. Or are shoved into dishes without consideration for how they taste because 'you have to eat your veggies'.

Start with the more subtle veggies like baby spinach, zucchini, potatoes etc.

I found adding veggies into things instead of sticking them on the side of a plate makes them a lot more palatable. Cut them up small and put them in sauces or bakes.

Stir fry is a great place to start. as a rule of thumb, never use more than two to three different types of veggies in this dish, other wise all the flavours mingle and the dish becomes a mish mash of undistinguishable flavours.

Quiche is a great place to hide veggies. Try mixing some grated zucchini or microwaved baby spinach into a standard recipe.

Add finely chopped celery or carrots to stews at the very beginning, the flavour will fade by the nutrients will transfer into the broth.

These two cook books are both written by non vegetarians and are entirely dedicated to eating veggies. They are good, but the recipes can be a bit fiddly:

Yottom Ottolenghi - Plenty http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/blog/2010/03/02/plenty-by-yotam-ottolenghi/

Peter Gordon - Vegetables http://www.peter-gordon.net/books/Vegetables.php


If all else fails... meet Paula Deen http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/view2/broccoli_casserole

 

[Shanadeus]

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[Natetan]

oh cool thread!

I became vegetarian in high school and was until about 3 years after college. Living in rural Japan made me quit; part of my job was interacting with the community and it was hard enough interacting with them being so different trying to accomodate my dietary habits as well when they were just trying to be generous made me start eating seafood again. it was really weird at first eating fish and stuff, but i got used to it.

I eat poultry now too, but not every day or anything. its mostly to simplyfy social interactions so I don't have to deal with 'well HE'S coming, so we have to find a special resturant, ugh'.

i'm having sundubu for lunch. mmmm.

for thanksgiving i used to eat the tofurkey with tempeh drumsticks. I think it's really good!

And if you think you hate vegetables, it's most likely because you've only had them prepared poorly. I can't think of a single vegetable I don't like when prepared well.

 

[ChocolateCupcakes]

So, it being thanksgiving and all - what exactly do you guys eat?
I find quorn/tofu/etc-style "turkeys" to be pretty much inedible, and I just pass this particular holiday because it isn't that big over here.

I'm pretty much treating this as a regular day now. I couldn't be bothered to make anything special.

 

[Natetan]

oh for quick meals, i've got a pretty strong rotation of

green curry with mushrooms eggplant onions and fish/tofu

kimchee chahan, rice, tofu, nira, maitake mushrooms

i also make my own arabiata sauce alot using maitake mushrooms and japanese eggplant

i have a mandolin that is GREAT for root vegetable salads: daikon, carrot, cucumber, beets. so good. just put it through the mandolin, soak in a bit of water for a few minutes and add a dressing of your choice (i usually mix ponzu with a sesame dressing and some chili flakes).

 

[iirate]

Let's see...

Three years ago (my first year as a vegan), vegan chili with my (vegan) sister-in-law.

Two years ago, nothing.

Last year, a simple dinner and salad with my mom.

This year, nothing.

 

[trilobyte]

I cooked a vegetarian General Tso dish with homemade seitan.

more pics here http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=32923924&postcount=11504

 

[Shanadeus]

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[Natetan]

So much of that is completely unknown to me, would love some recipes and explanations

sure i can post some when I get home from work.

also an amazing way to incorporate more veggies into your diet, get a microwave steamer. put in a tablespoon of water and in two minutes (more for big/root vegetables) you have perfectly steamed broccoli, etc. its amazing.

 

[hydragonwarrior]

People of the veggies, I need help.

I hate vegetables. So much.

I've slowly started to eat a few of them in my diet in the past couple of years...such as small pieces of peppers/cooked onions in seasoned foods/meats/rice.

But I just detest the taste of vegetables...BUT I WANT TO CHANGE :c

What veggies go best with what foods? Does cooking your veggies really get rid of most of the nutrients? Are there any veggies that taste good raw (I've only tried carrots and I have to hide them in a smoothie because they combine the worst food qualities to me....crunchiness and tastelessness)?

For me, I got used to eating leafed vegetables raw (washed first of course) with the logic of "Water has no flavour, and I can have it no problem. Leafed veggies have no flavour so..."

Buy a romaine and eat some of it a day. Or some spinach. It's easy to tire of it, so I eat some veggies raw alongside an actual meal (like pizza or pasta, etc.). I actually don't like salad dressing much which is why i avoid it.

 

[Natetan]

alright recipies

Kimchi chahan

Arrabiata

for the green curry, just pick up some green curry paste and coconut milk and follow the instruction on the pack. super easy.

another good vegetarian meal is mapo tofu, just substitute ground meat with fake meat. you find plenty of recipies on line. pretty much just need tofu, onions, ground meat, tobanjan (chili bean paste?), soy sauce, grated ginger and garilc.



here's a mandoline. really good for julliening vegetables.

 

[The Friendly Monster]

here's a mandoline. really good for julliening vegetables.

Or your thumb if you're me, I have a massive scar now with the least cool story attached!

 

[storafötter]

relevant reading: Consider the Oyster
Why even strict vegans should feel comfortable eating oysters by the boatload.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2010/04/consider_the_oyster.html

So I have to start eating oysters because they don't have the same nerve system as us? That doesn't justify for me to take away their life even if they are not conscious about it. Life should also have a purpose for the sake of existing. The right to live shouldn't be just measured by the amount of pain or awareness species inhibit.
I get the logic behind that article. However I doubt personally that oysters are basically vegetables in the sea based on the nerve system criteria which they tried to apply for fish in the past.